Hot patching and traditional patching are two different methods of applying software updates, with key differences in implementation, downtime, and use cases.
Traditional Patching:
- Requires stopping the application or service to apply updates.
- Involves a full redeployment or restart, which may cause noticeable downtime.
- Commonly used for major version upgrades or significant changes.
- Example: Updating a web server by shutting it down, replacing files, and restarting the service.
Hot Patching:
- Applies updates while the application or service continues running, minimizing or eliminating downtime.
- Typically used for minor fixes, security patches, or performance improvements.
- Requires advanced techniques like dynamic code injection or runtime modification.
- Example: Applying a security fix to a live database without interrupting queries, or using Tencent Cloud's Hotpatch Service for game servers to update code in real-time without restarting instances.
For scenarios requiring zero-downtime updates, Tencent Cloud offers solutions like Hotpatch for Game Servers and Serverless Cloud Function hot updates, ensuring seamless maintenance.